It seems like my body has stagnated now, advice please?
QUESTION:
Hi Ri, I have PCOS and thanks to your advice I managed to change my lifestyle. It was extremely difficult but I lost around 7kg since May 2017. I am much more healthy and most of my symptoms have disappeared or improved. I exercise 5 times a week, first thing in the morning and try to focus more on strength training. But it seems like my body has stagnated now. I don't seem to build muscle. Not sure if I should eat more protein or change my exercise routine. Advice, please?
ANSWER:
Hi, xxx!
I’ve missed you and am so glad you gave me an update. It’s been a while!
My advice? Chill out. Relax. Take a week off. You’ve earned it!
Taking a break from your workout regimen can feel scary because you may be worried that you'll hinder your progress or that your break will turn into a complete relapse. However, periodic breaks are exactly what you need.
During your week off do NOT work out. Instead, just stick to your diet and add in one cheat meal if you’re not already eating cheat meals. Then, in the morning, try to meditate and quiet your mind for 15 min. Meditate and release the stress you're holding in about 3-4 times that week. After a week off, resume your workouts as usual and you’ll notice a difference in how your body responds.
A break week is so helpful because:
You will build trust in yourself that you can do it and still achieve your goals
You will give your muscles time to rest, recover, rebuild, and grow
You will release the mental stress from the stagnation and
You will temporarily deviate from your routine which will help you jump-start your metabolism upon resuming your workouts.
Going forward, remember that you need to shake things up because your body adapts in an effort to protect itself. Purposefully taking vacations, switching up your type of workout, and changing up your diet are all things that can help you break through stagnation.